Things Past
by Moonbug
Summary: Mara Jade returns to Coruscant to neutralise a threat from her past yet Luke Skywalker complicates her plans.
1. Chapter One

I am doing this for fun and no profit is being made. All this belongs to Mr Lucus and Mr Zahn. Witty disclaimer suggestions welcomed.  
  
Mara Jade stood facing the heavy wooden door, her fingers tracing the intricate carving. It had been so long since she had stood here last. It seamed like a lifetime had passed, much had changed. A polite cough from behind reassured her of that, if she could ever have forgotten. She risked a wry smile. Palace security, whether Imperial or New Republic, were, as ever, impatient.  
  
"Ms Jade, if you can disarm the system as you claim, I ask that you proceed swiftly," the elder of her escort began. "It may have escaped your notice but we are anxious to gain control of this section ".  
  
Dust that clung precariously to the rich dark wood continued to be dislodged and spiralled towards the lavishly tiled floor. The diminutive red headed woman before him remained oddly distant. The guard glanced nervously to his colleague who in return let his hand rest on his blaster. They knew the rumours.   
  
"The TEC boys have identified this as the input source", he began to move forwards, gesturing to a small data pad located to the side of the door and stopped abruptly. Emerald eyes held him for a split second.   
  
It was Mara's business to keep informed and her network of contacts would have shown even that of Leia Organa Solo to appear amateurish. She was well aware of the latest passion rippling through the New Republic's bureaucracy. It had amused her deeply until her thoughts rested on what they might find. Her sources had kept her apprised of their attempts to open up various locked sections of the palace. These were the more sensitive areas of the imperial court, the sleeping chambers of Moffs, or more frequently their mistresses, private libraries and other areas fitted with localised security features. It was deeply embarrassing for the legitimate government, especially as their best people had little success eradicating these remnants of the Imperial past, which was why they offered such a high fee for help with this sensitive issue. Jade, never one to turn down an opportunity to so easily increase her personal fortune, allowed herself to finally be persuaded to help. The credits though had little to do with her change of heart.   
  
With deliberate slowness she traced the pattern until her fingertips found what they sought. The pain was sharp but expected. She continued to run her fingers smoothly over the concealed blade allowing enough blood to spill from the small wound and seep in to the analyser.   
The technology was, she conceded, primitive but almost undetectable, powered by the small electric charged generated through the friction of her movement. Drawing on the force she reknitted the tissue, marvelling at the stupidity of the New Republic scanning crews and slicers, she smiled. It had taken them months to identify a dummy system. The keypad was little more than window dressing. Perhaps this wouldn't be so difficult and she could get off planet sooner than she'd hoped. She was not going to be notice by anyone that mattered. Her presence in the force was convincingly masked. No one would realise she had been here until she was a few light-years clear. She felt the internal systems power down and threw a glance at the edgy guards.   
  
"The agreement between myself and the Minister of the Interior stated that you had to stay with me whilst I was here," her voice took on the sickly tone of sarcasm, "for my own protection. The Minister made no guarantees for your protection though, do remember that."  
  
The words fell smiling from Mara Jade's lips. Gracefully she turned her attention to the pad and entered a random sequence of numbers, it bleeped encouragingly. Any time she wanted she could open the door - all she had to do was give it a light push. If it was there, she would find it and they would be none the wiser. They would have no chance to prepare and never know a thing if she did it right, but then she always did. Both of her escorts watched with growing excitement. A small light flashed on the display. The elder guard activated his communicator,  
"Captain, she has accessed the area, permission to proceed to Stage Two."   
"You can tell that can you? Well, I haven't." she stated.  
"But it flashed. It's never done that before, and so I...."  
"Through that door should be an Imperial Command terminal, if I can find the right file and reconfigure the interface to accept fresh data, there is a chance I might..", she returned.   
"But..."   
"That assumes that the thing is undamaged after all those attempts to overload the structural integrity field."  
  
He looked at her wide-eyed. How could she have known that? It was restricted information.  
  
Jade pushed open the door revealing the sumptuous interior of what was once her personal suite.   
"This might take some time, I'll need some Caf, can you manage that?", open mouthed he just nodded.   
  
Ignoring the four-poster bed, the elegant dressing table and the wide transparisteel window revealing a breath-taking view of the palace's formal gardens, Mara proceeded to a small information point.   
"You're in luck, it appears functional," she growled at no one in particular.  
  
Two and a half hours later, she was done. Unnoticed, she dropped the data disc into her jumpsuit pocket. As an afterthought, she disabled the security system on the other rooms and re-engaged the terminal's lock out function. 


	2. Chapter Two

The sight of the city held a fascination for him. In the early morning light it possessed a comforting beauty. The elegant spires of the palace would emerge form the gentle mist framed by the Manarai mountains in the distance, the soft textures merging to create the skyline that was uniquely Coruscant. But now it was early evening and the view from his private residence was no less spectacular, yet Luke Skywalker couldn't see it. Something was toeing on the edge of his thoughts. It had been there all day, slowly growing in strength, softly calling his attention. It was a sensation he couldn't quite pin down but felt almost familiar.  
  
It was slowly driving him crazy. Leia was working, and from her sense in the force happy, the twins were with winter and after a brief call to Yarvin 4 all at the academy were well. Luke raised his hand to support his head. Maybe he was just tired, Mara would tell him to stop being such an overprotective nerf-headed fuss-pot or worse.   
He grinned as the pieces dropped into place - Mara. She was on planet and shielding herself. Shielding very well, but not well enough to escape the eventual notice of a Jedi Master. Reaching out with his senses he let himself bath in her almost presence catching the lightest texture of her mood. He frowned.  
  
Hunched over the datapad, Mara almost missed the soft knock on her door. "Sithspit," her adrenalin spiked. She had been pouring over the data since its retrieval, concentrating so fully on her objective that she only now realised her error. Taking several deep breaths, strengthening her mental barriers, she crossed to the door and opened it.  
  
"You really need to improve on your split level concentration Mara," he beamed, despite himself, panting gently after the sprint from his building to hers, "and awareness." He looked at her shyly. "I had to knock."  
  
"I'll bear that in mind, make it fast Skywalker, I have business to attend to. What do you want?" She stood in the doorway, making it very obvious he was not welcome.  
  
"Mara," all the playfulness drained from his voice, "when will you realise you can't shut people out like this. Do we have this conversation here or will you let me in?"  
  
Scowling, she relented. She really didn't need another public fight with the Jedi Master. The holo reporters were far too interested with her as it was, and the publicity could jeopardise her operation. She closed the door behind them. Luke turned to face her: Mara stared at the floor.  
  
"I know something is troubling you, I just want to be sure you are alright. I can stay, if it's the dreams, you don't have to be embarrassed. I still have nightmares." He reached out to gently take her hand, the gesture was returned with an acid glare.   
  
"Well it's not, I don't need your concern Jedi, I want you to leave." Her eyes sparkled with malicious intent. So that wasn't the reason for the dark tone to her presence. Her control was wavering he'd have his answer soon. Her barriers were cracking and little slivers of emotion were slopping out. He felt her fear of discovery, something in her past.   
"I know this is important to you," he dug a little deeper. Her eyes widened.   
"Stay out of my head" she pronounced the worlds with slowly measured menace "you Son of a Sith - I asked you to leave".   
  
But it was too late. One of her jealously guarded thoughts had slipped past her carefully crafted defences. This close to him there would be no chance he would miss it. The effect was instant. The colour drained form the Jedi Master's face, his mouth slightly opened.  
  
"How could you think that, there is nothing that would make me believe… you really have so little faith in me." He stepped away from her turning towards the entrance. "I thought our friendship meant something, Jade."   
  
Mara looked towards him, suddenly seeming small and vulnerable. Her skin looked too pale to be healthy, and her eyes were red-rimmed.  
  
"You have to understand Luke, I lived only to please him," her voice was unsteady, barely above a whisper. "It was all that consumed me, I would have done anything he asked." Her emerald gaze held his pleadingly, and all Luke's rage slipped away.   
"I know that, Mara, but you left that life behind you, it can't hurt you now."  
She replied softly, "I worried what would happen if I didn't come back from a mission - who would serve him as well as I could. I was so young and foolish. I didn't think." Her eyes lowered once again. "Luke, please don't ask me to tell you. I don't want you to know. You'll hate me and I don't want that." The logic was childish but it was the only hope she had left. Once her fear that Luke would truly believe the worst of the rumours about her past had thrashed its way clear of her barriers deep down, she knew she would have to tell him everything, that he deserved an explanation.   
Wordlessly, Luke drew near and tentatively pulled Mara into a gentle embrace, letting his hand slowly stroke her fiery locks. He was almost surprised when Mara made no move to resist. 


	3. Chapter Three

The mug of freshly made Caf steamed on the low table in front of her, it was artfully ignored. Luke withdrew to a chair a few meters away and began to slowly sip his own beverage. Since her emotional outburst earlier, Mara had remained uncharacteristically silent. She sat gazing at her boots, breathing steadily, maintaining formidable barriers. Her behaviour was once again glacial. The Caf he made may help draw her back into civilised conversation, though the stimulant would take some time to act. It was far safer to allow Jade to regain her composure at her own pace.   
  
Luke scrolled though a discarded data pad whilst waiting. The entries surprised him; a catalogue from the late Emperors private collection, a detailed diagram of the Imperial Palace, a rota for palace security personnel, his own teaching schedule from Yavin. He looked up and saw the trader regarding him with her cool green stare.   
"You have been busy Jade", a bemused grin flitted across his tanned features. "Planning to break in to the heart of the New Republic are you?", the joke died on his lips.   
Mara arched an eyebrow, "Well done Skywalker, now go to the top of the class."   
  
Silence stretched out awkwardly as Luke struggled with the enormity of her admission.   
"Mara, you can't do this."  
Again silence.  
"Looks like quite a straight-forward operation, actually", she added, casually stretching her arms above her head, pulling her black jumpsuit tightly against her trim figure. "Nothing I haven't done before."  
"But Mara", he swallowed nervously, "if you get caught, the New Republic would see you as an Imperial agent. They would order your immediate execution… I wouldn't be able to…" he hesitated and pushed his blonde fringe from his eyes, "I can't let you do this, it's not right". She stopped, moving her attention riveted to the man who was daring to dictate to her, she felt her muscles begin to tighten.   
"This is why I told you to go, bloody noble Jedi", she snarled. Anger was of the Dark Side. Jade quickly quelled her rage. The Nurf only wanted to help her, she should be grateful.   
  
After taking a few deep, calming breaths, relaxing into the contours of her chair, she let her mental shielding drop to a more sociable level. Mara faintly perceived Luke's ill hidden concern for her. She continued in a softer voice.   
"Listen Skywalker, I gave the Emperor a few things, he stored them in his private archive, I want them back, no big deal. It's not as if I want to steal anything that's not rightfully mine." He was not deceived by her change in tactics.   
"Then we can ask Leia, and she can release the objects to you, legally."  
"This side of Hoth!"   
"Mara, be reasonable…"  
"Reasonable is a blaster on stun, not a word to describe your sisters Government." He was insufferable. " I won't take the risk she could say no, and it will alert them to the rest of the collection. I was planning on destroying it before the New Republic ever become aware of its existence".  
"Collection?"  
"Yes", she looked towards him slightly perplexed. "How much of that pad have you read?"  
"Not much."  
Jade rolled her eyes he had been examining it for 20 minutes, she had hoped it could have done the hard work for her. She took a sip of Caf, it slipped easily down her throat. Best explain the lot to the dozy farm boy.   
"The New Republic are spending a lot of credits searching what was once the seat of Imperial Authority."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"The Emperor did the same when he came to power, except he made a decent job of it. Over the centuries various administrations built covert areas, concealed chambers, secret corridors and the Empire put most of that technology to use." She took another sip of Caf then returned her full attention to the Jedi. "The New Republic are finding these places and seizing the contents. There are a few items they shouldn't find." She gestured to his artificial hand. "Might be a few family heirlooms of yours hanging around in there too."  
"Mara I don't understand" she continued ignoring the confused look in his blue eyes. "If the lowly Emperor's hand was preserved for immortality, then the great lord of the Sith would have qualified". Jade failed to keep sarcasm from her voice " C'baoth most likely only used a small section of tissue from the hand you lost, it was bobbing about in a specimen jar last time I was in there, Vader usually took samples from interesting interrogation subjects too, so…"  
"Mara that's enough" His comment spilled out sharper than intended, "What are you talking about?"  
"The Emperor's trophy room, his favourite collection of biological trinkets. My target for annihilation"  
"My hand, Leia's interrogation extracts, the last bodily remains of my father, hidden in the palace, why…."   
"Experimentation, but mainly to gloat over." That would make a twisted kind of logic, he began to understand. The Emperor was warped, of course he would gain pleasure from the suffering of others, pain inflicted in his name. This was a collection of fitting tribute for a Sith. Luke briefly closed his eyes silently thanking the gods that Mara had survived his evil. She had been trying to protect him, to deal with this problem without implicating a Jedi Master or burdening him with yet more evidence of the Emperor's malevolence. Her beauty was amazing.   
"What did he take from you, Mara?" he asked evenly   
"He didn't take anything. I gave." She had finally confessed, Luke did not react as she had expected, he just patiently waited for her to continue.  
  
"I was every micron the good Imperial. My life meant nothing if not used for the Emperor's grand order, so why should my body be any different? I offered him my left ovary, and he took it. He had always told me I was special, that Force Sensitives, uncorrupted by the Jedi were rare, that I was his truest servant." Jade stopped, she was getting emotional again; the thought of the apparatus unguarded and vulnerable to any lucky scanning crew was almost unbearable.   
"The ovary was removed and placed in a specially constructed support unit. The entire apparatus was placed in carbonite until needed. In addition, a brain scan suitable for flash learning was made. When activated, the ova mature at a normal rate. 10 ovum were stored separately to be used if the organ failed to recover from hibernation once re-animated. It was my wish that my master would not be inconvenienced if I failed him and died. If this finds it's way in to the wrong hands, Luke, think of the damage that could be done. Me, at my most loyal to the Empire. It needs to be destroyed. I need to see it done."  
"How do you intend to accomplish this Jade?"  
"My plan is the last entry on the pad. He quickly scanned the file. It was a good plan, though it could use a few adjustments now her resources had changed.  
"When do we go?" It was a statement, not a question.   
"Tonight."  
  
  
  
Thank you for the reviews, much appreciated  
Moonbug 


	4. Chapter Four

They stole through the half deserted corridors of the grand Imperial palace. They moved silently weaving between the deeper shadows. A few beings hurried by, absorbed in their own thoughts, yet none paid the black clad couple any heed. Pausing briefly, Luke reached outwards with his senses, pin-pointing the location of those around them. There were few people in the area; the closest was walking briskly towards them, her mind focused.   
  
"Luke, you ready," Mara's mental voice asked. He nodded, feeling he was missing something. He pushed the fear away. Jade had already slipped through the concealed door and the Jedi quickly followed. The door sealed behind them, leaving total darkness and a musty stench. Luke began to reach for his lightsaber, yet stayed his hand. "_You know it makes sense, Skywalker."_   
  
Her jibe slid effortlessly in to his thoughts. He smiled weakly "_I haven't been without it for some years Jade, I feel..."_ it was difficult to articulate, "_as if a piece of me is missing."_   
Jade snorted audibly. She activated her glow rod and motioned for him to follow. The corridor was tall enough to walk upright and just wide enough for them to travel single file. "_The next time you start spouting about becoming one with my saber, I will remind you of this. What happened to 'a Jedi is never unarmed, with the force as their ally'?"_   
Luke grinned, "_Jade, you actually listened to my classes - I am honoured." _   
"_Shut it, Jedi."_   
_"Not until you admit it."_ Luke teased.__   
_"Admit what?" _He loved to play with her like this he could feel a myriad of indistinct emotions tucked just beneath her barriers.   
_"You hid it very badly you know."_   
_"What on Hoth are you blithering on about?"_   
_"Are you sure you don't know?"_   
_"Skywalker."_   
_"You want it" _Jade tensed__   
_"Sneaking about in a concealed passage is really not the place for this."_   
_"Oh."_   
_"Oh!"_   
_"Lightsaber."_   
_"What?"_   
_"Your lightsaber. You miss it."_   
The shadow in front of him relaxed.   
_"What if I do, they were still impractical to bring."_   
_"Yes I suppose so, no stun setting, very distinctive."_   
_"The difficult part is not getting in Luke, it's not getting detected afterwards."_   
  
They moved quickly through the narrow passage, alert for any danger.__   
_"The New Republic haven't found this section of the network yet, but stay sharp. Should be no problems for the next 50 metres"_. Mara paused about 30 metres on; her danger sense began to prickle.   
"_I got them," _Luke sent._ "Motion detectors; two, one on the wall, the other on the floor. I can easily disable them."_   
"_How, farmboy?_"   
_"Burn out the fuse."_   
Mara shook her head. "_And what fault would you simulate to show the repair crew why the fuse blew?" _She felt his confusion; she had to admit it was nice to rattle the Jedi master. "_Little things like that get people curious."_   
_"So what would you suggest?" _   
"_Simulated rodent damage to the power cable. Much more elegant, especially as their own equipment registers the presence of the vermin first."_ Mara turned towards him the glow rod casting exaggerated shadows. _"There is only one problem,"_" she whispered softly_, "I don't have the control to do it any more. When the Emperor died, I lost..." _Even in the half-light, Luke could see her colour.   
_"It is very simple, Skywalker."_   
Mara took his hand. _"If you push down, like this," _she played her fingertips over the back of his hand,_ "the sensors should interpret it as a town mouse. They are very common in this environment". _He nodded, afraid that his voice may betray him.   
_"Try it on me," _she released his hand and stretched out her own, Luke copied her movements hesitantly._ "Good. Just replicate that pattern. _Mara turned her attention to Luke's face, his attention was riveted to her fingers, and "The_ biting bit is very easy."_   
Jade imagined the manoeuvre and then pushed the images over to Luke._ "You got it." _   
_"I think so, Mara."_   
  
Visualising four small rodents, he sent them scurrying towards the sensors, and then let them nibble through the power cables. The sensors powered down.   
"We better get moving," said Luke, "some one might be on the way to repair the system". Mara once again took the lead but soon signalled a halt. "We exit here, cut through the public records office and enter the turbo lifts. Only two cameras, one bank of photostream traps. Less risky than staying here." She let her concentration expand outward. She felt no life and pushed open the panel. Luke found himself in yet another anonymous corridor, pressed tightly against the wall."Skywalker, the camera is round the corner."   
"How about obscuring the lenses with cobwebs and dust!"   
"I like your thinking flyboy."   
"It wasn't a serious suggestion."   
"It will work and it doesn't leave a trail."   
It was easily done. "Be grateful the New Republic don't waste the budget on sanitation."   
They rounded the corner cautiously. Mara changed the setting on her glow rod, illuminating a loose meshwork of low power photon streams criss-crossing the length of the corridor for a metre.Jade smiled, this she missed.Stretching her muscles, alert for the possibility of discovery, she focused on the task ahead.   
"See you on the other side, Skywalker."   
  
Jade broke in to a short run then vaulted high over the first beam, landing lightly. She used that momentum to power her next flip, twisting her body halfway through, avoiding a diagonal stream. She gracefully wove herself between the tightly packet beams of energy, kicking, spinning, leaping. Luke watched. It was impressive. Her slender form arched, twisted in mid-air, then ducked under the last obstacle. She rolled clear, then stood straight, panting softly.   
"I am getting too old for this, good job I had the home advantage," she muttered whilst dusting a little dirt form her black jump suit. Her emerald eyes glittered when she remembered the Jedi on the other side of the trap. The challenge was obvious. Drawing the Force tightly about him, Luke began his approach. He walked slowly forwards lightly touching each stream of energy with his will. The tangled web before him shifted position, arcing to form a clear path. These things were little inconvenience to a Jedi Master.   
"Took your time Jade," he continued slowly past her.   
"Show-off." 


	5. Chapter Five

To many, the older sections of the palace were examples of exactly where the Old Republic had gone wrong. They saw in the wood panelling, the alabaster carvings and marble floors conspicuous consumption that even the Empire could not surpass. Leia though, saw only the beauty of the lines and the precious irony. The palace was perhaps one of the most cost effective public buildings in existence. It had been constructed at a fabulous cost yes, but because it was expected to server for Millennia. Her steady measured steps echoed through the corridor and she pulled her heavy clock tighter. She visited these grand and almost forgotten places when she needed to think. Leia shut out the world and concentrated. She didn't want to do it, yet the other members of the council expected it of her. They practically demanded it, in the slick ways of politicians; all smiles and pleasantries but she was savvy enough to understand what they didn't need to say. She paused, lifting her head, and stretched out with her senses, certain to find the warmth that was her brother, yet she found nothing. Leia smiled and gently reprimanded herself, continuing to walk. Imagining distractions did not help, the problem remained; what was she going to do about Mara Jade?   
  
She kissed him, just as they entered the private turbolifts that would take then almost to their destination. Mara pushed him not too gently against the wall of the carriage, her lips brushed tentatively against his. Luke was stupefied; he was somehow in her arms, warm and yielding, held mesmerised by her blazing emerald eyes. She pressed herself against him, weaving her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "You want this," she whispered seductively as she turned her attention to his neck. Luke moaned softly overwhelmed by her contact. "You have always wanted this, Luke."  
"Mara I..." he couldn't deny it, her scent permeated his senses and the heat from her body made him painfully aware of her nearness, his own flesh cried out for him to act, yet they were only moments away from the most treacherous part of the operation.  
" Mara, we..."   
" Hush... it is our destiny Luke," she ran her deft fingers over his tunic. "It is futile to resist."   
Mara caught his gaze, and all resolve left the Jedi Master. Hungrily he sought her presence in the force and drew her to him. He returned her earlier kiss, hard and passionately, crushing her close, whispering in her mind the words he had hidden from her for years. Luke had waited for this, hoped, but reason began to impose itself on his restless mind. When did Jade ever let down her barriers like this? She would never lose focus on a mission or... His world lost its sharp edges and began to fade.  
  
"Luke, you OK?" Mara's voice resonated through his mind like ice water.  
"No... er... yes... the force," His voice rasped unsteadily, his breathing sharp and rapid. Slowly the Jedi Master slid to the floor. Reality little by little pushed its way back into his befuddled mind. He became aware of his environment. It was cold, dusty and smelt of old data cards. Yet another drab imperial corridor somewhere in the bowels of the palace, it seemed as if he had spent all night in them, dodging guards, moving through passageways, deactivating innumerable devices. A single tear slid down his cheek, hastily he brushed it away. He pressed his eyes shut.   
  
With an effort, he pushed the last remnants of the vision away. The Jade in his mind shook her head as if he was a child and smiled. She dropped her hand to rest on his father's lightsaber, and then dissolved completely. Luke struggled to slow his raging pulse and regain his calm. It was important to say focused on the task in hand, to achieve the objective to not fail his friend.  
  
The Jedi opened his eyes as a familiar presence stole closer.   
"Luke," Mara was at his side, her blaster extended towards an unknown enemy, green eyes wide. "Explain."   
"I had a vision. It was disturbing. Nothing to worry about," his voice was flat and filled with the peace of a master Jedi. Mara scanned the area then sheathed her blaster, her own heart began to slow. She had felt him react to something, felt the adrenalin surge through him, yet the stimulus had remained elusive. All Jade could sense was his cotton wool calm, it irked her. She had expected to fight her way in and drag the Jedi out of some sort of disaster, not find a boneless bag of skin slumped on the floor.  
"Nothing to worry about, you look..." she took in his appearance, flushed cheeks, slightly open lips, large blue eyes, "...you look half dead Skywalker."  
"It was very vivid, I need to rest."  
"Yeah and I need a new thermo coupling for my hyper drive, don't mean I'm going to get it now". Unceremoniously, Luke was hauled to his feet.  
"The turbolift is round the next corner, everything is ready to go."  
  
Half dragging the limp Jedi she moved forward, gliding through the deserted space. "I managed to hack in before your little episode," she scowled lacing her words with venom, "Jedi". 


	6. Chapter Six

Reflexively, Jade checked the power pack in her blaster; her thumb hovered temptingly over the intensity selector, yet the setting remained on stun. Her muscles tensed, they had stopped moving. It was time. Jade glanced at the man sitting behind her. He was seated seemingly oblivious to the world, his knees drawn up to his chest, his hands resting comfortably on his kneecaps. A soft smile played on his lips as he dreamily regarded the blank door directly ahead of him. Typical Skywalker, since entering the lift Jade had retained a respectful distance from the Jedi, she remained by the door and Skywalker had regained his composure in silence by the other side of the carriage. She didn't like it. She knew when Farmboy was less than totally honest with her; there was more to his little fainting fit than he was letting on, much more. Since she dragged him into the lift he had remained maddeningly serene, balled so tightly in the force she could hardly sense him. Something was not as it should be.   
  
"I'm fine Jade," his gentle voice drifted towards her; minutely she narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth to speak.   
"I wouldn't dare," his eyes sparked with mirth. "I value my life too much." Chuckling lightly, Skywalker stood and nodded towards the door. "Ready for our favourite nocturnal pastime? It's a beautiful night to blow up Imperial artefacts", he smiled warmly.   
Jade hesitated. A glib Luke was almost as unnerving as a despondent Luke. She made eye contact with the Jedi Master.   
  
"Its not too late Luke," she paused considering her words carefully, "you can still turn back and no one will ever know you were down here, if they catch you it will be the end of your career, everything you have worked to achieved..." He shook his head, and acting on a sudden impulse, reached out and lightly caressed her cheek.   
"Its already too late for me," abruptly he turned from her to retrieve the small rucksack they had brought with them, "and if you are found in a highly restricted area of the palace unauthorised, it would be your life, Emperor's hand." His anger was short-lived. "We go together, you and I both need to do this Mara," he smiled soothingly and extended his hand towards her shoulder, only to snatch it away hastily. Jade nodded, he was still acting strangely, it made her anxious. "The target is only a few metres on, the passages forms quite a labyrinth, so keep a good lock on me." She opened the lift doors revealing the darkness before them.   
  
Still occupied with her unsettling thoughts, Leia almost missed the soft chirruping of her com-link. Opening the frequency, she listened intensely to the report from the young officer. Smiling, she walked briskly towards his location.   
  
The air reeked of too much artificial reclamation.   
"This way, just round the bend in the passage," Mara lead, "I know this area, spent a lot of time down here." Luke yelped in pain as he collided with yet another unexpected rock. "You teach this to your students?" she hissed.   
"No, I teach them never to wander down dark uneven passages without adequate light."   
"Enough light for me," she countered.   
"Well you have more experience sneaking around down here."   
"Then why are you complaining Farmboy, you obviously need the practice."   
Jade sighed, "hold still a minute," she paused letting her mental barrier weaken, then nudged their route from her mind to his, the placement of rocks, the change in strata she was searching for, in short all the information he needed not to get to battered before they reached their destination and get out again. Vaguely she wondered what else she might have allowed Skywalker to glimpse.   
  
They worked forwards down the roughly hewn rock passage.   
"Here," Jade paused by a nondescript section of rock. She muttered something undecipherable and began examining the stone closely.   
  
Luke shivered. So that was why she had no scar. The memory had flitted over her thoughts and flowed from her consciousness to his with the operational details, he let it unwind...   
  
_"Come child, you are troubled," the Emperor's knolled voiced called into the shadows of his throne room. Hesitant footfalls could be heard as the figure of a small girl emerged from the gloom.   
"My Master", Mara approached and knelt before him. She was, even now, quite lovely.   
"You wish to speak with me, my hand."   
"Yes, my Master." She rose, yet cast her eyes to the floor, "I have been thinking," Jade hesitated, "it is my wish to serve you, as best I can, yet it pains me to think that if I fail you I would leave you unprotected. If I am disgraced, then my flaw should not be compounded by my not anticipating the possibility."   
"You raise an interesting problem," the Emperor sneered, his yellow eyes glittered in the half-light. "It is not a possibility that I have foreseen, yet it would prove unfortunate to lose your particular talents. What action would you suggest, my hand?"   
"My teacher of Antiquity told me of the Clone Wars Master. Could I be copied in a similar way?" Mara replied. The Emperor laughed, a dry wheezing cackle that lay heavily in the air.   
He leaned forwards in his throne, yet seemed to move deeper into the shadows. "There is a way. It would be sufficient, not cloning in the strict sense, as I am sure your tutor told you. That technology was perfected by the Clone Masters, who are now no more." His gaunt fingers pressed together beneath his chin "The alternative would be exquisitely painful," he hissed, " So child?"   
"To serve you is my life, Sire."   
  
The Emperor beckoned one of his royal guard and whispered instructions to him. He left promptly.   
  
"I am fortunate that you are a female, in this regard at least, for within you lies the easiest way to accomplish this." Jade looked up at her master in confusion, as if to answer her question, he continued, "I will take from you the organ that produces eggs, that would, if fertilised, produce your offspring. My scientists will fertilise it with your own material. The result, a being closer to you than a daughter." The Guard returned and set up a low table. "Remove your garment, lie still on the table, I will detach the tissue personally."   
"Yes Master," she hurried to comply. She was cold, yet fought the need to shiver. It grew colder. The Emperor reclined within his throne and reached for the power that was the Dark Side.   
  
He willed it, and it became so, cities would fall, men would die history would be rewritten, from the recesses of his throne he focused his mind upon his hand and what he now desired. He sensed each vein, each artery, each corpuscle. Quickly, the Emperor determined the path of least resistance, and bent his will to the task. At his bidding the force pushed, it was a minute amount of pressure, ordinarily the stirring would have gone unnoticed, like the gentles summer breeze. Yet it was as if a wedge of transparisteel was being driven through Jade, a hole appeared in her abdomen and grew. The force was concentrated in an exact point, nudging the cells of her body apart, holding the liquids within her still. Jade screamed continually until she lost consciousness.   
  
Once her body cavity was sufficiently exposed, he located the ovary and pulled it free. As he withdrew from Jade, her flesh reformed leaving nothing but an ugly bruise._   
  
Luke was wrenched from his thoughts as light spilled into the corridor, Mara had already moved into the chamber, he followed. "What now, Jade?" she graced him with a withering emerald glare. "You set charges." 


End file.
